Waysto boost wood moulding sales

LL ACROSS the country dealers interested in building a better profit picture for themselves are improving their display methods for unfinished wood moulding.

Why? Because they are realizing that unfinished wood moulding is one of the most profitable items in retail lumber yards and home centers. Wood moulding can provide a high return, high turnover and high sales potential.

"As the do.it-yourself market continues to gro\p, so does the potential for sales and profits of wood moulding," states Bernard J. Tomasko, executive vice president of the Wood Moulding & Millwork Producers Association (WMMPA). "However, if this potential is to be realized, the product must be properly displayed."

To help maximize profits, Tomasko makes the following suggestions:

Display wood moulding as a decorating product. Sell consumers on the finishing touches that can change their homes. Move moulding from a commodity product to a decorator item, both in store displays and in the minds of consumers.

Display wood moulding as a companion to other products. Every paneling, paint, wallcovering, window, door and drywall sale is a sales opportunity for wood moulding, so display the product in these related areas. Keep sales personnel aware of a polential tie-in.

Display wood moulding not only for wall and ceiling projects, but for hundreds of other projects around the house. Dramatize the multiple uses of moulding; incorporate it into other displays around the store.

Display the complete wood moulding inventory not just one or two token items. An in-store display of wood moulding does not necessarily require extensive floor space.

A neat, organized display ofinventory that makes it easy for the customer to see what is available should be located at the entrance to the moulding department.

Stores all around the country have devised methods of displaying moulding for customers. Several innovative displays are described belorv in addition to being illustrated across the Page.

Measuring only 48 "x48" in size, an effective display found in one store features both a cross-section and a four-inch longitudinal sample of each of the lll different profiles the store stocks. The profiles were glued onto a plywood base, then sprayed with a urethane finish. Each sample is labeled as to profile name, size and price.

An attractive sample board containing a three-inch piece ofeach ofthe 50 profiles the store carries is nestled in the middle of nearly 50 feet of moulding bins. A label on each sample contains the profile's name. size and a number corresponding to the moulding bin where it can be found.

Another sample board containing the same 50 profiles is located at the checkout counter to allow both the cashier and the customer to match the moulding with its price.

To provide more convenience for the do-it-yourself consumer. casing is given its own display at the store. Complete with its own sign to draw customers, the special area contains only seven-foot pieces ofcasing in both ranch and colonial profiles.

When retailers can't put a moulding display near the product, they find puning it near a service counter is a good alternative. The wood moulding display found at a small, rural lumber yard is a good example.

Store personnel glued two-inch samples of 85 profiles onto a 4'x4' piece of hardboard. They added samples of the 15 uiood sidings stocked and labeled each as to name and size. The completed display is mounted adjacent to the customer service desk.

Story at a Glance

Unfinished wood mouldang must be properly displayed to maximize prcfits...displays must make it easy and understandable for your customer...specific ideas on how to do it right.

Proximity to sales help is also the key to the wood moulding display. Hanging directly orver the main checkout counter, the display is constructed from a piece of lxlO redwood l2-feet-long to which 49 six-inch samples are attached and grouped according to function.

Each profile is identified by a number which corresponds to a moulding bin in the back of the store. Customers can either serve themselves or order by number at the counter. Prices are listed on the back of the display board where tlrc cashier can easily see them.

In terms of construction techniques. wood moulding displays can range from very simple to very elaborate. At a rather large horne center, cuslomen couldnl get close enough to the existing u'ood rnoulding display because it was on a wall behind a service counter. The solution wzrs to construct an ocAgonal display that rotates on a pedestal base and locate it in front of the service counter where it is easily accessible.

Another home center uses both indoor and outdoor wood moulding displays to spotlight the 102 profiles in stock. The store carries more profiles than any other store in its area. According to the store manager. "rib hara an image as a quality prd and quality prds always have a calling card. Oun is moulding."

The store's fr€e-standing indoor display is situated near the cashier's counter. Longitudinal and cross-section samples of each profile are mounted on strips of plywood which in turn are attached to a standard, spinning metal display fixture. Each of the profiles is identified by number.

Because customers must pick up their orvn moulding, the store also installed an outdmr display near the moulding bins to reinforce customers' selections. The outdmr display is a wall board measuring 4' x 6' in size.

Wood mouldings can and should pro' vide high return, high turnover and high sales potential, but only ifthey are displayed properly. So make the commitment to go after the business that:s out there waiting to be sold. Only then will you know that wood mouldings are truly profiles for profit.

SIMPLE explanation of combining profiles to lorm a chair rail helps a customer understand what they need. Mouldings (center photo) that are well arranged and color coded facilitate sell service. Giant ruler (a wood beam secured top and bottom with inch and foot marls up to 16 ft.) simplifies measuring of moulding.